Harvard College

Ciaran O'Neill

Conor James Walsh

Nathan Phipps

A textile actuator and harness system can include a harness configured to be worn with a portion extending across a wearer's joint. The harness comprises a substantially inextensible section and at least two mounting locations spaced for positioning across the joint, with at least one located along the substantially inextensible section of the harness. A textile envelope defines a chamber and is made fluid-impermeable by (a) a fluid-impermeable bladder contained in the textile envelope and/or (b) a fluid-impermeable structure incorporated into the textile envelope. The textile envelope is secured to the harness at each mounting location, and the textile envelope has a pre-determined geometry configured to produce assistance to the joint due to inflation of the textile envelope during a relative increase in pressure inside the chamber.

Textile actuator and harness system

A textile actuator worn by a user comprises a textile envelope that defines a chamber made fluid-impermeable by a fluid-impermeable bladder contained in the textile envelope and/or a fluid-impermeable structure incorporated into the textile envelope. The textile envelope has a pre-determined geometry that produces an equilibrium state at a non-180-angle displacement and that stops further displacement upon pressurization of the chamber and prevents over-extension the joint. A fluid is delivered into or out of the chamber to displace the textile envelope primarily by transitioning from an uninflated state to the pre-determined geometry due to displacement of the textile envelope rather than via stretching or contraction of the textile envelope. When actuated, the textile actuator (a) displaces a body segment of the user and/or (b) supports and holds the body segment of the user in place.

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Cambridge, MA, United States of America

Ciaran O'Neill